Inter vice-president Javier Zanetti says Pablo Osvaldo remains an Inter player, despite a cloud hanging over his immediate future.
The Italian international’s ugly on-field altercation with teammate Mauro Icardi in last week’s match against Juventus fueled suggestions that his loan deal may be cut short by Inter this month.
The controversial striker was then left out of the match-day squad to face Genoa this past Sunday, which left many observers certain that Osvaldo’s Nerazzurri career was over.
Zanetti however, admits that Osvaldo apologized to his teammates after the incident and that the door was still open for the ex-Southampton man to continue his career with Inter.
“Osvaldo? At the end of the match he realized he was wrong and apologized to teammates,” Zanetti told Sky Sport Italia at the Ballon d’Or ceremony.
“We all have to be united to achieve our goals and overcome certain problems. He remains one of our players.
“We are trying to build a team that can be again a major player with Mancini and we are working well in this direction by making major investments.
“We know it will not be easy to get to third place, but we will fight to the end and try to achieve this goal in the league.”
Zanetti also spoke about former teammate Samuel Eto’o’s possible return to the Serie A, and of Ronaldo of a deserving Ballon d’Or winner – despite rooting for compatriot Lionel Messi.
“Eto’o to Sampdoria? He did some extraordinary things with us, and now he wants to return to Italy which would be most welcome.
“[Ballon d’Or] I think all three would have deserved this award, although as an Argentinian, I was rooting for Messi. I believed that the Portuguese deserved it though.”
